Thousands of Kaiser Permanente workers strike in California and Hawaii over staffing and pay

A large walkout hits hospitals and clinics across two states

About 31,000 Kaiser Permanente registered nurses and health care professionals began a strike on Monday, January 26, 2026, impacting facilities across California and Hawaii. The walkout includes a wide range of roles—nurses, pharmacists, nurse practitioners and other clinicians—and is expected to continue until a labor agreement is reached, according to local reporting and union statements. ([abc7.com](https://abc7.com/post/31000-kaiser-permanente-health-care-workers-california-hawaii-go-strike/18478125/?utm_source=openai))

Union: staffing levels and bargaining conduct are the core issues

Union leaders said the strike centers on safe staffing, fair compensation, and what they describe as management actions that undermined negotiations. Reuters coverage described the union’s claim that Kaiser unlawfully interfered with contract talks and that the strike would affect more than two dozen hospitals and hundreds of clinics—raising concerns about patient wait times even with contingency staffing in place. ([investing.com](https://www.investing.com/news/economy-news/31000-nurses-to-strike-at-kaiser-permanente-in-california-hawaii-union-says-4465584?utm_source=openai))

Kaiser: a generous offer is on the table

Kaiser Permanente said the strike was unnecessary and pointed to its bargaining position as highly competitive, citing a proposed wage package and arguing its employees already earn above comparable roles in other organizations. In a company statement dated January 25, 2026, Kaiser said its offer included a 21.5% wage increase over the contract term, with additional step increases and local adjustments potentially bringing average increases higher. ([about.kaiserpermanente.org](https://about.kaiserpermanente.org/who-we-are/labor-relations/alliance-national-bargaining/media-statements/our-statement-on-unac-uhcp-strike?utm_source=openai))

What patients should expect

Large health care strikes often play out unevenly across regions: emergency departments typically prioritize life-safety care, while elective procedures, clinics and appointment availability can be more vulnerable to disruption. Kaiser said it would continue operating and emphasized the need to protect access and affordability; unions argued that long-term staffing and workload standards are central to patient safety. ([abc7.com](https://abc7.com/post/31000-kaiser-permanente-health-care-workers-california-hawaii-go-strike/18478125/?utm_source=openai))

The dispute highlights the broader national pressure point in health care: even large systems with scale and resources are contending with workforce strain, wage expectations and patient access demands at the same time. ([investing.com](https://www.investing.com/news/economy-news/31000-nurses-to-strike-at-kaiser-permanente-in-california-hawaii-union-says-4465584?utm_source=openai))